


the perfect ending

by vmon_89



Series: VHope Bingo [1]
Category: GOT7, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: M/M, Misunderstandings, Really this is written kind of like little bits of different moments, Slice of Life, Soulmates, bingo tile: soulmates, idek, jackson is really just mentioned a couple of times sorry, no details about those, off hand mentions of abuse and non-con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-01
Updated: 2017-05-01
Packaged: 2018-10-26 10:20:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10784892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vmon_89/pseuds/vmon_89
Summary: That was the thing about soulmates. They were a complex concept. Not everyone had one soulmate. Some people had multiple soulmates. Sometimes soulmates were platonic. Sometimes soulmates could be lost. Sometimes new soulmates could be found. Like love, soulmates were fluid. It was hard to tell what exactly it was made up a soulmate. The one thing that everyone knew, however, was that there was somebody out there for everybody – multiple someones in certain cases. One thing that Kim Taehyung knew, though, was that his soulmate had to be out there somewhere.





	the perfect ending

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this my first entry into the VHope Bingo 2017! My tile is "soulmates". I love this trope so much. Anyway, this fic was sort of written in smaller segments, showing little bits and pieces of their lives and what changes between them. So, sorry if it feels jumpy or scattered.

When he was about seven years old, he watched as his mother – who had a faded out, nearly the same color as her skin, name on her wrist after the death of her husband about a year before – nearly dropped one of the dishes they were washing together when she realized that on her opposite wrist there was a brand new name that had not been there before. “What's that?” he had asked, drawing her attention to the dark black letters that contrasted against her skin tone much like her deceased husband's name used to be. He did not receive a straight answer from her that day, nor the next, nor the next. He did not understand until nearly five years later when his mother literally ran into a man neither one of them had ever met before when the two of them were at the market on a Saturday. She had dropped the basket in her hand, causing several of the items to break. They both apologized over and over and helped the staff to pick it up, though they spent a little more time smiling at one another than strangers probably should have done. Later, his mother would tell him about how she had just felt this immediate attraction to the man; after the ice cream that he treated her and her son to that first day, after they had exchanged numbers and kept communicating afterward, after several more dates and realizing that the names on each other's wrists weren't just one another's but the handwriting matched as well. Soulmates. They were soulmates, just like she and his father had been before the man's death years prior.

 

That was the thing about soulmates. They were a complex concept. Not everyone had _one_ soulmate. Some people had multiple soulmates. Sometimes soulmates were platonic. Sometimes soulmates could be lost. Sometimes new soulmates could be found. Like love, soulmates were _fluid_. It was hard to tell what exactly it was made up a soulmate. The one thing that everyone knew, however, was that there was somebody out there for everybody – multiple someones in certain cases. One thing that Kim Taehyung knew, though, was that his soulmate had to be out there somewhere. The name stayed scrawled on his wrist in untidy handwriting he did not recognize. It had been there as long as he could remember. After twenty two years of life, Taehyung had not given up hope in finding his soulmate yet. He wanted what his mother and his step-father had; the doting looks, being able to anticipate his significant other's needs and wants, having someone who just understood and accepted him completely. He was sure that Jungkook – his very best friend since elementary – was tired of him complaining; but, then Taehyung did not care much for Jungkook's opinion considering his very best friend had met his soulmate back when they were still in high school.

 

Min Yoongi was cousins with their friend Park Jimin and would visit for a couple of weeks every summer from his hometown. At first, Yoongi did not really get along with Jungkook. They always bickered and challenged one another, pushed each other to dumb antics. Jimin was the first to point out the underlying look of fondness that would cross his cousin's features every time, to which Jungkook had simply ducked his head with a bashful smile and red coloring high on his cheeks. They did not officially get together until after Yoongi moved to Seoul for university and Jungkook had graduated from high school. Yoongi had sat proudly at Jungkook's graduation with Taehyung, Jimin, and Jungkook's family. He'd been unable to keep from smiling and he even laughed when Jungkook had thrown himself at him in a hug once the ceremony was over. They had all given the two of them space as Yoongi had hugged him tightly, mumbling how proud he was into the side of Jungkook's neck while that pretty red color found its way to Jungkook's face. The two of them had spent the summer in Yoongi's hometown, and had shown up on move-in day to the dorms for Jungkook's first year of university hand-in-hand. Jimin had fake-gagged right into the nearest trashcan when they'd met up in the courtyard.

 

Jungkook was sharing a dorm with Jimin and Taehyung there on campus while Yoongi shared an off-campus apartment with Namjoon – who was a graduate student along with Yoongi though they were in different fields. Namjoon was a year younger than Yoongi but had graduated from high school early. Namjoon had not admitted to Taehyung whether or not he knew who his soulmate was, though Taehyung thought he was aware, even if he'd never really spoken to the guy. Which, Taehyung was pretty sure was the case from overhearing some of Namjoon's talks with Yoongi. Jimin's soulmate was someone that Taehyung had come to adore since they met him shortly before he and Jimin graduated high school. Jimin had met Seokjin, his soulmate, completely by accident when he'd come to tour campus the year before he started university. Seokjin was working as a barista at a coffee shop that, by the time Jungkook graduated high school, he would eventually be managing – he was on the way to actually owning it. They remained friends at first, and honestly, Taehyung was pretty sure they technically were still just friends considering they'd never really talked about it. It was clear to everyone, though, that Jimin absolutely adored Jin, even if he tried to pretend like he didn't.

 

The six of them were like a family. They even met up once a week at Jin's apartment for dinner with all of them; and none of them were allowed to miss it without facing Jin's wrath. It was something that none of them wanted to do. “We should invite Hobi-hyung,” Jimin suggested one particular Friday. His suggestion was met by Jungkook perking up a little and smiling over at Yoongi.

 

“Yeah! Could we invite him next week, hyung?” questioned Jungkook, still looking at Yoongi though they all knew his question was directed at Jin. It was Jin's apartment, after all.

 

“Who is Hobi-hyung?” Taehyung found himself asking with a furrowed brow. He had no idea who that person was, and he was pretty sure he knew all of his friends' friends. Apparently he had been wrong if the way everyone else seemed to know just who was being talked about had any say in the matter.

 

“He's Yoongi-hyung's best friend.” Jungkook nodded, slyly attempting to steal some rice from Jimin's bowl, though he found himself foiled by Jimin knocking his hand away again. “Also helps teach mine and Jimin's dance class.”

 

Jin was probably the most nurturing one out of their friend group. He might have been a bit harsh with his love sometimes, but they all knew he really did care about all of them, and just wanted them to be happy and healthy. They also knew that Jin was not likely to turn down he chance at mothering someone else. “Sure. Just make sure he knows to be on time,” answered Jin with a nod of his head. He had met the guy once before and thought he was nice enough. He just hoped that they all wouldn't be too... much for him to handle. A look around the room had him smiling fondly at the way that Yoongi was knocking on Namjoon's back (he'd started choking on his water), or the way that Jungkook and Jimin had started having a mini-sword fight with their chopsticks (complete with sound effects because really what kind of sword fight did not have sound effects?), and the way that Taehyung was subtly flicking little wads of paper into the back of Yoongi's hood to see how long it took him to notice. They were all children (himself included, when he was done playing parent) and Jin had come to adore each of them.

 

It would turn out that Hobi-hyung would be none other than Jung Hoseok – not someone that Taehyung had ever really met before though he had let out a small, almost wounded sound after hearing Hoseok introduce himself. Jung Hoseok. It was a name that Taehyung knew well. Very well. Incredibly well. Considering it was the name that was permanently written on his wrist, it was not an unheard of name. He knew, though, he knew that it could very easily be a different Jung Hoseok, someone different than the young man that stood in front of him with a slowly fading smile that was becoming more a look of concern. Taehyung thought there was a moment of understanding that crossed Hoseok's features as he noticed Taehyung's gaze flickering from his face to the leather wrist band that Hoseok wore – hiding the name that was written on his own skin. It faded as soon as it had appeared, though, and Taehyung did his best to shake off the questions that seemed to be on the tip of his tongue. “Hoseok-ssi,” Taehyung said with a slight incline of his head. “Sorry. I'm tired. I'm Kim Taehyung.”

 

Hoseok smiled at him with a soft laugh. “Yeah, I've heard a lot about you from Jiminnie. You can call me 'hyung', Tae. Everyone else does already.” Taehyung smiled at him in return then, wishing his heart would stop doing this weird little fluttery thing in his chest every time Hoseok smiled (and was that a nickname already? Maybe Taehyung was already a little in love with the guy). It was there. It was there and he knew it. He _knew_ that this Jung Hoseok was his. They were soulmates. However, Hoseok did not give any indication that he recognized Taehyung's name. Maybe... Maybe it was a case where Hoseok was his soulmate, but he was not Hoseok's.

 

Taehyung tried again to look at Hoseok's wrist, but the wrap he wore on it was tight enough that it would not slip and show him anything underneath but loose enough it wasn't digging into his skin. “You two have finally met now, then?” Yoongi questioned, appearing out of nowhere only to give a huff and shove Hoseok in a playful manner when Hoseok called him “short-hyung” in his greeting. “Fuck off.” And then they were walking toward the kitchen, bickering between one another and leaving Taehyung standing in the living room wondering why everything felt as anticlimactic as it did.

 

 

***

 

After that, Hoseok became a regular member at their weekly dinners and Taehyung started to see him everywhere. He was just leaving Taehyung's favorite coffee shop (Jin's, of course) while Taehyung was arriving. He was lingering in the dance studio with Jungkook and Jimin when he showed up to drag his roommates out for food – sometimes he tagged along with them. He was in the library when Taehyung made his way there to work on a paper for one of his classes. He was in the cafeteria when Taehyung stopped in between second and third classes some days. He was walking across campus (dancing a couple of times with a very bemused looking Jackson Wang walking next to him). He was at the party that Taehyung had dragged Jungkook and Jimin to (without their soulmates in tow, this time). He was at the movies when Taehyung and Yoongi had gone to a late night double feature of some animes that they both enjoyed. He was at the record store that Namjoon had took Taehyung to, sitting behind the counter talking with Jackson (who seemed to keep gazing over to where Namjoon was flipping through some albums telling Taehyung all about different ones he came across that he had trivia about; it happened almost as much as Namjoon continued glancing over to where Jackson was sitting and _Taehyung would have to ask him about that later_ ). Jimin and Jungkook would convince Taehyung to come hang out at the dance studio their classes were held in sometimes, and Hoseok always seemed to be there either teaching another class or hanging out with Taehyung's friends. Then there was the weekly dinners at Jin's. Hoseok was at those every week since the first invite.

 

It was starting to drive Taehyung up the wall. He needed to tell somebody. At the same time, he would rather not have any of them laugh at him or tell him that he was being delusional or tell him that Hoseok had a different name. Taehyung had continued to try to see what name Hoseok had on his wrist; but he always _always_ wore that stupid leather piece that covered up the words. He was all fidgety in classes that day, and he pointedly didn't look at Jimin next to him in their shared chemistry lecture as he tapped his thumb against the top of his notebook that sat glaringly empty of notes from the lecture. Taehyung wanted nothing more than to dart out of there once they were released, but Jimin was right there grabbing his arm and dragging him in the opposite direction of most of their classmates, starting to the back exit of the building that would more directly lead them to their dorm. “Are you going to tell me what's going on with you?” Jimin asked him, though the look that he was fixed with told him that Jimin expected him to tell no matter what.

 

Taehyung chewed on his lower lip as he stumbled slightly while being dragged along by Jimin, only stopping when his friend's grip tightened on his arm. “Yah! Okay, just...” Taehyung huffed as he yanked his arm out of Jimin's grasp. They walked side-by-side and Taehyung shoved both his hands in the pocket of the hoodie he was wearing (he was vaguely sure that it was actually Namjoon's but he'd stolen it somewhere along the way in their friendship). Inside the pocket, he wrapped his hand around the wrist that had Hoseok's name written on it, idly brushing his thumb against it. “I think... I think Hoseok is my soulmate.” Taehyung continued walking, stopping a few steps away to turn and look to where Jimin had stopped walking when he'd heard what Taehyung had said.

 

“Are you...? Tae...” There was a saddened expression on his face that made Taehyung want nothing more than to rush over and scoop up Jimin in his arms and hug the other until he was laughing and smiling again. “Hoseok doesn't believe in the whole soulmates thing. I don't think he even knows what name he has.”

 

“Oh.” Well, that... was not what Taehyung had expected. He had so many other thoughts about the situation. Maybe Hoseok had someone else's name. Maybe he was embarrassed by the fact that it was _him_ of all people – Taehyung knew that he could be incredibly difficult to handle sometimes. He was easily excitable, forgot about peoples' personal space, was easily distracted. He could understand why Hoseok would not want him, really. The fact that Hoseok just did not believe in soulmates had never even crossed his mind. That almost made him feel a million times worse. How could Hoseok not believe in soulmates? It nearly made Taehyung want to cry. “What's... I mean... do you know why?”

 

Jimin shook his head slowly, reaching out to tug on Taehyung's arm in order to get him to pull his hand out of his hoodie so that Jimin could link their fingers together with a squeeze. “I don't. He's never told anyone anything other than the fact he doesn't want to talk about it.”

 

“Oh.” Taehyung stood there, clinging onto Jimin's hand like it was a lifeline, nodding slowly once – twice. “Okay.”

 

He then let Jimin lead him back to the dorm, still hand-in-hand as they went, where they ended up curling up around one another on the bed closest to the door, which was how Jungkook found them a short while later. He wasted little time in slipping off his shoes and climbing into the bed with them, nevermind that it was much too small for the three of them to comfortably be on it. He did not ask any questions (he would ask them later when he and Jimin got a moment alone), simply stayed there quietly with his two best friends as they all started to doze off.

 

“Will hyung be okay?” Taehyung heard Jungkook whisper some time later, which made him frown. Jungkook never called him that. Ever. In fact, Jin and Yoongi were the only two he ever really used the honorific with – the brat. Taehyung had woken up feeling cold and almost immediately noticing the absence of his best friends from either side of him though the blanket was carefully tucked around him, making him basically a burrito in the covers. He peeked his eyes out to where they stood across the room, each one of them looking concerned. Taehyung made the decision right then and there that he was going to be okay. He had to be. He could not worry his friends just because... because he had a soulmate that did not want anything to do with him. He would be okay. In the morning. For the time being, he just lowered his gaze again, hiding his face in the top of the blanket as he listened to Jimin quietly answer the question as positively as he could. Taehyung would be okay.

 

 

***

 

Their weekly dinner at Jin's was postponed that week. The day they usually met up coincided with the anniversary of the day that Jin had met Jimin, so the two of them went off by themselves to celebrate together and maybe actually talk about _them_ and what each of them wanted from one another _._ Everyone else helped them – making reservations, pushing Jin to not start planning on what to cook that week, helping Jimin pick out something that wasn't what he would wear to the dance studio. Jimin was nervous in a way that Taehyung had never seen, picking at his nails and worrying at his lower lip as he let Hoseok help him with his hair. He had relaxed almost immediately when Jin had shown up at the door to pick him up, Namjoon and Yoongi behind him as they'd been the ones to help Jin with his own nervousness about the whole evening. Things would be okay. They were going to be okay. Taehyung was so incredibly happy for his friends and could not keep the smile off of his face.

 

Once the hopefully-soon-to-be-couple was seen off, the other five of them gathered at Yoongi and Namjoon's apartment. It was a bit weird to not have Jimin and Jin with them, but they made do. They ordered food to be delivered to the apartment and sat around the living room floor talking around the food shared between them and beers. Taehyung was not unaware of the way that Jungkook kept watching him, even though he was not acting any differently than normal. He was attempting to balance his chopsticks on his nose, making Hoseok laugh next to him and Namjoon roll his eyes with a comment about how ridiculous he looked. “Eat your food,” Yoongi insisted, reaching over to grab the chopsticks and jab Taehyung in the chest with them while he gave Jungkook a look that clearly stated _this is your best friend_.

 

“Are you really going to let short-hyung get away with that?” Hoseok asked, gently nudging Taehyung with his elbow, making Taehyung still his hand where he was rubbing his chest in the spot that the chopsticks had poked him (really hard, too; there would probably be a bruise).

 

Yoongi narrowed his eyes at Taehyung, slowly lifting his beer to take a drink “Do you want to die?”

 

“Yes, yes, I am,” Taehyung answered Hoseok with a slow nod, shifting back where he was sitting on the floor so he was farther away from Yoongi moments before all of them were laughing at the entire situation. Jungkook's laugh may have been a little forced, though, which he was well aware Yoongi had caught even if his hyung had not said anything about it.

 

It was all just so normal that it left Jungkook on edge. How could Taehyung just be going on as if nothing was wrong, as if he hadn't been hiding away in his bed only a few days before? Jungkook frowned a little as he subtly watched his two hyungs, who were too busy laughing and talking and ganging up on Namjoon to notice they were being studied. Jungkook was not unaware of the fact that Yoongi kept watching him, though, and he knew that he would be telling Yoongi what was going on later. Maybe Yoongi would have some wisdom to share with them about the situation. Jungkook really hoped so, because he never wanted to see Taehyung like he'd been the other day ever again. He smiled at Yoongi, not wanting him to worry, and picked up a piece of chicken that he held out in front of Yoongi to take. Yoongi narrowed his eyes just a little but Jungkook saw the pink color high on his hyung's cheeks and the tips of his ears even as he ate the food offered to him. “They're being gross again,” Hoseok whined, flopping over onto Namjoon who simply shoved Hoseok off his lap and onto the floor completely. “Don't be fu--” (“Language! There is a child present,” interrupted Namjoon, causing Jungkook to throw an egg roll at Namjoon's face. “I was meaning your boyfriend.” Which only made Yoongi glare at Namjoon in response.), “rude.”

 

The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and smiles and everything was just really relaxed. Jungkook remained wary of Taehyung, though, especially when his friend left to walk with Hoseok back to campus, where Hoseok was going to meet up with a friend and Taehyung would head back to the dorm. Jungkook was going to stay the night there at Yoongi and Namjoon's, filling the two of them in on the situation and hoping that maybe, maybe at least one of them would have some advice for him as to what they should do. He did not want to see Taehyung hurting again.

 

Meanwhile, Hoseok and Taehyung walked side-by-side heading back toward the campus that was only a few blocks away. It was a bit of a long walk when the weather was terrible, but it was a nice night out. There was a slight breeze with lingering warmth from the fading summer. Taehyung just wished that he could look up and be able to see the stars above them – all he saw were streetlights.“Have you thought about taking dance with Jungkook and Jimin?” Hoseok questioned after a moment, successfully steering the conversation away from them lamenting over poor Namjoon having to deal with Jungkook and Yoongi all night.

 

Taehyung snorted out a laugh at that, lowering his gaze from the sky above them to Hoseok on his right. “No. Dance is not really my thing. I'll leave that to Kook and Jiminnie. They're actually good,” he answered, nodding his head once for emphasis.

 

“Don't lie. I've seen you messing about in the studio with them.” Taehyung grew red in the face, he ducked his head to hide it though Hoseok's gaze was more focused on the walk in front of him than Taehyung to his left. “You're... obviously untrained but you could be really good if you let yourself be.”

 

“Thanks, I think?” They both laughed at Taehyung's look of confusion and Hoseok bumped his shoulder against Taehyung's. “That's okay, though. I'll stick with my art classes.”

 

“Well, you should come around more often, anyway. It's always fun when you're there.” And it was. Taehyung was always full of laughter and smiles, goofing around with his two friends, pulling innocent pranks with Jungkook – even a couple with Hoseok as they'd been getting to know one another. They had not spent too much time together, at least not one-on-one. It was honestly the first time that Hoseok could remember talking to Taehyung without one of the others around. Taehyung was a lot calmer, almost quiet and reserved in a way that Hoseok had never really paired with him. It was cute.

 

Taehyung smiled cheesily at Hoseok's words, shoving his hands into the pocket of the pullover hoodie he wore that evening (he was pretty sure this one was actually Jungkook's – which meant it was probably _actually_ Yoongi's). He idly wrapped his hand around his wrist inside the pocket, his thumb brushing against the name there that he could easily trace without even seeing it. “Hey,” Hoseok said after another block, making Taehyung look over at him as they both stopped walking. “Do you want to see something cool?”

 

Taehyung idly wet his lips. He really should just go back to the dorm. Spending time with Hoseok, with the man whose name was on his wrist and seemingly had no idea, was not exactly the smartest idea. Was it? Or maybe it was. Taehyung did need to learn how to be friends with him, after all. Hoseok was friends with all of his friends and ever since Jin had basically adopted him into the fold... Well, Hoseok was not likely going anywhere. So, he nodded and smiled, standing up a little straighter. “Yeah, okay.”

 

Hoseok beamed over at him, then. It was a bright smile, almost like the one that he seemed to always have on his face when he was being loud and drawing attention to himself and trying to make everyone else happy. It was different, though. It actually seemed to reach his eyes in a way that made Taehyung nearly choke on the air he breathed. Hoseok just chuckled and grabbed ahold of Taehyung's elbow before starting to lead him across the street, looking both ways before they went. “Come on.”

 

 

***

 

 

“Are we there yet?” Taehyung all but whined. It was late. They'd been on two different buses and walked several more blocks. The neighborhood did not seem nearly as nice as the ones that their friends lived in. There were several closed up businesses, boards on the windows and for sale signs on the doors. There was not much noise around them, some distant sirens heading to the other side of the city. Hoseok just chuckled and continued to lead Taehyung by his wrist, a touch that had nearly made Taehyung jump when it was initiated. Hoseok's fingers were curled around his own name printed on Taehyung's skin. Did he even know? To Taehyung it felt as thought Hoseok's touch was burning against his skin but Hoseok continued to seem completely unaffected. It nearly made Taehyung want to scream.

 

“Watch your head,” instructed Hoseok as they ducked into one of the buildings that had some boards missing from where they'd attempted to close up the entrance. Taehyung hesitated, but Hoseok gently squeezed his wrist and then Taehyung followed him inside. Hoseok used his free hand to pull out his cell phone and turn on the flash so that they could see ahead of them in the otherwise dark building. Taehyung wanted to ask where they were and why they were there, but he simply kept his mouth shut, focusing on stepping over the boards and debris that littered the floor.

 

It was when they'd climbed several flights of stairs that Taehyung complained again. “If you've brought me all this way just to kill me...” he trailed off as Hoseok finally opened up a door that led out onto the roof. “Oh, wow.” The view was amazing from there. There were all sorts of street artists' works on the walls of all the buildings around them, there were lights from different restaurants just down the way with outdoor seating lighting up the path. There were some sculptures set up on the roof of the building across the street. It almost seemed like the entire area was something out of one of those artsy, hipster trash photographs that Taehyung made fun of all the time but absolutely loved. There was music coming from someone's room in the apartment building farther down the street, the window wide open and what seemed to be stringed lights throughout the room the sound was coming from. It was almost surreal.

 

Taehyung watched Hoseok as the elder let go of his wrist and walked over to a pile of random pillows and cushions that was set up already, facing the east. “I come out here a lot, to get away from everyone and just think.” He knew the owner, had permission to be there. He wasn't actually trespassing but Hoseok wouldn't say that to Taehyung – it seemed a little more reckless if Taehyung did not know. “Sometimes I come up with new choreography up here. Either with my headphones in or just taking inspiration from the sounds around me.”

 

Taehyung listened with a small smile, watching as some teenagers in the park that peeked out from behind the building in front of them ran around with what looked like sparklers and flares, hooting and hollering and having the times of their lives. Taehyung wished he had his sketchbook with him and his fingers practically twitched with the urge to commit the moment to memory – to preserve the way that Hoseok's profile looked against the few lights in the distance, the way the corner of his mouth turned up in a small smile, the way the trees would rustle with a random breeze or a dog would bark in the opposite direction, the string of lights and the music, the spray paint that colored the bricks. All of it. He wanted to keep all of it and hold it so close to his heart.

 

It meant something. It had to mean something. The fact that Hoseok was sharing this with him. It had to mean something more. Taehyung knew it. He could feel it. But Hoseok stayed quiet, almost seemed to forget that Taehyung was even there for several long minutes until the younger of the two slowly walked over to sit next to Hoseok in the cushions and pillows that all had cases designed to be outside. It made Taehyung smile, that tiny little detail that meant that there had been effort put into this little spot, to make it comfortable and functional. And Taehyung was there, sitting next to Hoseok. They did not say much, which would surprise pretty much anyone who knew them, but neither one felt the need to fill the quiet between them. It was a comfortable silence, one that did not feel as daunting as silence seemed to do. They just sat there and... listened, watched, enjoyed the moment for what it was.

 

They stayed there until the first colors started to appear on the horizon; faint pinks and purples that faded into more vivid oranges, reds, and yellows the closer to sunrise it got. The light made Hoseok's skin glow more than it already did on its own and he looked... Taehyung did not want to use the word _breathtaking_ because that was such a cliché. However it was the only word that seemed to fit, especially when Hoseok's gaze turned to him and the smile on his face seemed to soften, grow more _fond_ and _caring_. And Taehyung, well Taehyung could just sit there dumbly until Hoseok nudged him with his shoulder and said, “Come on. Breakfast?”

 

“Yeah. Right. Okay.” Taehyung got up with a slight laugh, not feeling nearly as tired as he probably should have for literally having been up all night.

 

He found that he was still wide awake as he made his way down the stairs with Hoseok, as they ducked underneath the boards in the entry way and made their way back to the bus stop, as they got off and walked to the diner that was between campus and the apartment that Hoseok lived in with Jackson, as they sat in the diner and talked about whatever came to mind while sharing a pot of coffee and a plate full of breakfast food between them, as they finally went their separate ways. Taehyung could not keep the smile off of his face while he made his way back to campus, Hoseok's good-bye still ringing in his ears. He could not even keep from smiling when he got back to the dorm and climbed into his bed, hugging his pillow to his chest and ignoring the questions and looks that his two roommates gave to him.

 

He would ask about Jimin's date with Jin later, after he got some sleep. For that moment, though, Taehyung was content to finally fall asleep, thinking of soft smiles and warm laughs and secret places.

 

 

***

 

 

Taehyung no longer wanted to be at that dumb party. His chest felt too tight and he was sure he was not breathing correctly as he turned and walked right back out of the room. He had been so stupid to think... “Tae?” he heard Yoongi question him as he brushed past his shortest hyung, but he did not stop. He just shook his head and continued to walk out of the apartment, away from the party to where hopefully he could get the sight of Hoseok nearly kissing some girl from one of his classes out of his mind. He knew he did not have the rights to be upset. They weren't... they weren't anything. They were barely even friends. Hoseok was friends with his friends but they were not really friends themselves. They were getting there, though. Or maybe they were. They weren't in grade school, anymore; having to actually announce “we're friends now” wasn't really a thing, after all. Taehyung did not really, know. He was just too busy being caught up in learning what he could about the man whose smile reminded him of a slow sunrise. Since that overnight on the roof, Hoseok and Taehyung had spent a lot more time talking and getting to know one another.

 

Hoseok encouraged Taehyung to keep coming to the dance classes. They would talk and laugh and goof off in-between Hoseok teaching him new moves. Taehyung had even been over to Hoseok's apartment several times where they worked on their homework together or had video game marathons. Whenever Jimin and Jin decided to have date night, sometimes doubling with Yoongi and Jungkook, then Taehyung and Hoseok would head to a diner where they would sit and talk and eat too much food, maybe work on an essay or something while they chatted. Sometimes Namjoon would join them, but Taehyung's favorites were when it was just him and Hoseok.

 

He had thought, he had _hoped_ , that maybe, possibly Hoseok was starting to like him too. Taehyung had moved past the whole _we're soulmates_ idolization that he'd held on to when he'd first met Hoseok; but, in the weeks that followed, in their time together either being loud and spurring one another on in their antics or the quiet moments in-between, Taehyung had started to actually fall for Hoseok. There were times when there would be something that Hoseok did or he said or even just a look that he would give Taehyung, and Taehyung had thought that maybe those feelings weren't one-sided.

 

Seeing Hoseok with that girl, though, Taehyung realized he could not be more wrong.

 

Hoseok did not want him.

 

He wanted to cry but instead he found himself laughing once he managed to get to the dorm, more on auto-pilot than anything. Thankfully he'd had his key considering every single one of his friends was at that stupid party. Where stupid Hoseok was with that stupid girl. Taehyung just laughed a little more and climbed into Jungkook's bed since it was the closest one that wasn't his own. He hid his face in Jungkook's pillow as he kept laughing, which eventually did turn into him crying once again.

 

Taehyung swore at himself. He was being ridiculous. He had no reason to cry. Hoseok wasn't his. Hoseok had done nothing wrong. Taehyung had been the one to get his own hopes up over something that was probably nothing. Hoseok was a friendly person. He did not treat Taehyung too much differently than any of their other friends. But sometimes, _sometimes_ Hoseok did things for Taehyung that he never did for anyone else. Like the time that Taehyung had hit his head mid-celebration dance after his victory in Just Dance on Yoongi's Xbox. Hoseok had let Taehyung lay his head in his lap – which was nothing new as people did that with Hoseok a lot. But, Hoseok's fingers had carded through his hair, and the other hand had brushed along his jawline as he'd smiled softly down at Taehyung, quietly asking if he was sure he was okay. Then there was the coffee that Hoseok had brought to him in the library when several of them met up to study; Taehyung was the only one that Hoseok had brought coffee for, which Yoongi had huffed at him over – _I'm supposed to be your best friend, you little shit_.

 

There was just...

 

It was the small things, okay. It was the little ones that Taehyung noticed and built up and forged together to make a wall of hope that was crumbling down around him. And Taehyung could do nothing but let it.

 

 

***

 

“Taehyung hasn't been around much lately,” Hoseok said, idly tapping his pencil on his notebook while looking over to where Yoongi sat next to him in the library. The first week that Taehyung hadn't shown up for their study group Hoseok had gotten an apology text after stating that something had come up. The second week, Taehyung had been sick after having gone out drinking with Jimin and Jungkook. The third week, Hoseok had texted Taehyung and never received a response. The fourth... well, Hoseok stopped waiting. Taehyung still showed up at Jin's dinners every week; teasing Jimin until he was red in the face about the newly defined relationship between him and their host, or questioning Namjoon about _that Jackson guy_ , or giving Yoongi shit about how completely soft he was for Jeon Jungkook, but somehow always managing to avoid spending much time around or talking to Hoseok _._ He would not sit near Hoseok unless it was the only space available. He did not show up to dance classes anymore. Hoseok really did not know what to make of it. He had not realized what a steady presence in his life Taehyung had become until the younger man was just not there anymore. Hoseok stilled his pencil and glanced over at Yoongi, who was giving him a look that he could not describe. “What?”

 

Yoongi frowned at the question. He did not want to get involved. It was not his place to get involved. Even though he knew what was going on with Taehyung. Jungkook had followed Taehyung home that night several weeks ago and climbed into his bed with Taehyung, who was laughing and crying, and got to hear all about what Taehyung had thought and what Taehyung had saw. Taehyung knew that Jungkook told Yoongi about it, knew that Jungkook had only been trying to look for advice when he did not know what to do to make his friend feel better. They all knew, really. Taehyung was about a subtle as a brick, after all. They were all just supposed to stay out of it as much as they could. It was not their places to get involved. Hoseok and Taehyung would figure things out, or they wouldn't. It was up to them. “That kid really likes you.” So much for staying out of it. Yoongi could not quite keep himself from saying something. Hoseok was his best friend, but he cared about Taehyung too. If Taehyung needed space to get over his feelings, then Yoongi would respect that. It did not stop him from feeling like Hoseok deserved to know why Taehyung was just suddenly not there.

 

“I know. We're friends. That's...” He trailed off when he saw the way that Yoongi's expression changed to the one that immediately told him he was being a dumbass about something. Which, okay, well... he was, but he had an explanation. Sort of. He was not sure that Yoongi would buy the explanation, though. But Hoseok had to try, anyway. He hated when his best friend looked at him like he was looking right then. So, he explained to Yoongi about everything. His own thoughts and feelings were offered up slowly and almost calculated, as if he'd actually stayed up late thinking about it some nights – which, honestly, he had.

 

“Hoseok. You need to talk to him.” Yoongi crossed his arms over his chest as he watched his best friend in the seat next to him. “Even if it's just to remain friends. Just talk to him. Or you'll end up regretting it.” Yoongi knew Hoseok. He knew that for all his friend did not seem the type to settle down with anyone, for all that he seemed to flirt with and romance pretty much everyone he came into contact with whether he was interested or not, for all that he insisted the soulmates concept was ridiculous and had no real basis to stand on that he wanted nothing more than to find someone that actually liked him for who he was. He wanted someone to like more than just the outgoing, loud personality he always put on with a group of people. Maybe that was why it bothered Yoongi so much to see things going the way they were. Taehyung was the only one who noticed the little things, even if Hoseok had not realized yet. “Just talk to him. Figure it out from there.”

 

 

***

 

Taehyung did not know why he was there. It was almost sunrise and he was sitting on that rooftop that he'd been at with Hoseok a couple months before. It was warmer than it had been that night, but Taehyung had a cup of coffee clutched in his hands as he sat there on the pillows, watching someone adding to the mural on the side of one of the near-by buildings. Dogs barked somewhere in the distance. Music spilled out of an open window in one of the apartment buildings. Strings of lights could be seen. Taehyung took in a deep breath, and drank some more of his coffee. Hoseok was supposed to be there at any moment.

 

He heard the door to the roof open somewhere behind him, but Taehyung did not turn to look. He knew it was Hoseok. He knew it before Hoseok even got close enough for Taehyung to smell the cologne he tended to use. Taehyung barely glanced at Hoseok as he sat down next to him, but he did grab the second cup of coffee to hand to Hoseok. “Thank you,” Hoseok mumbled before taking a tentative sip of the coffee, only mildly surprised to find that it was exactly how he liked to drink it. Taehyung had never bought him coffee before. Usually, it was the other way around.

 

They were quiet as they continued to sit there, as the sky in front of them started to lighten and change colors. There were dark purples just starting when Hoseok set aside his empty coffee cup, took a deep breath, and said, “I don't want to be your soulmate.” He felt Taehyung stiffen beside him and Hoseok wanted to reach out and rub his back, brush his hair out of his face, wrap both arms around him. He could feel that Taehyung was about ready to bolt, but he also seemed rather frozen in place. Hoseok just hoped that Taehyung would listen to him instead of tuning him out. “My parents were soulmates. They met when they were still teenagers, fell in love, rushed into marriage, had my sister and then me, and then...” Hoseok sighed and shrugged his shoulders a little. “My mother left us. She decided she wasn't ready to be a mother, that it had all been too much too soon, that she hadn't really loved my father but had only gone along with hit because the name on her wrist told her that she was supposed to.  
  


“The couple in the apartment across the hall from where I grew up were supposedly soulmates. He beat the crap out of her and she said nothing because he was her soulmate. My friend's soulmate forced her into having sex with him before she was ready because they were soulmates and they were meant for one another. I've watched couples rush into moving in together because they were soulmates only to realize that it was too much too soon after their relationship was in shambles. I've watched friends get cheated on by their soulmates with the excuse of them being soulmates so they'll always have one another. I've watched people never really get to know the supposed love of their lives because they were soulmates and wasn't that enough?” Hoseok idly wet his lips, picking at a loose string on his jeans when Taehyung finally turned to look at him fully. He was still just as beautiful as he'd been that first night there. It made Taehyung's chest ache. “I know all the stories of how wonderful soulmates are. Hell, I've seen some amazing soulmate pairs in our friends. But I don't want to just... be someone's soulmate.” Hoseok was not sure he was even making sense to Taehyung, or if Taehyung was even going to understand. “I know it's my name on your wrist, my handwriting. I saw it. You're not as good at hiding it as you'd like to think. I think I knew from the first time we met, though; but, I don't want to just _be_ your soulmate.”

 

“Hoseok, it's okay,” Taehyung mumbled with a slight sigh and a shake of his head. He did not need to hear anymore. He got it. They were friends, and that was okay. He could be friends with Hoseok. He just needed time to adjust, to remind himself that he wasn't going to have the whole fairytale soulmate romance he'd always dreamed of as a child. “I understand. It's okay, really. I... it's... we're good. Friends is fine, great. I'd like to be friends.”

 

But then Hoseok was shaking his head and Taehyung frowned, looking more confused as Hoseok smiled softly at him. It was that same gentle, soft smile that Hoseok had fixed him with that first night they'd been on that rooftop. It was just as ridiculously breathtaking as it had been and Taehyung kind of wanted to punch him in the face to get him to stop. “I want to earn it. I don't want nature or the universe or _whatever_ deciding that I'm your soulmate. I want to earn that title.”

 

Oh. _Oh_. Taehyung slowly started to smile as Hoseok's words sank in. He was not saying that he did not want to be with Taehyung, that he did not want Taehyung. He wanted their relationship to be a choice and not a given. That was... Taehyung could understand that completely. “Okay.” Hoseok smiled a little more brightly, then, matching the change in the morning sky in front of them. He truly was beautiful, and Taehyung, well, Taehyung was looking forward to wherever this road was going to take them. “On one condition.”

 

“One condition? Okay. What's the condition?” Hoseok questioned, chuckling with his words and a slight shake of his head. Honestly, he should not be surprised in the slightest.

 

Taehyung stood up and brushed off the back of his jeans before holding out a hand to Hoseok to help him stand up as well. Once Hoseok was stood, Taehyung refused to let go of his hand. So Taehyung had not met his soulmate with fireworks flying and church bells ringing and celebrations all around leading up to the perfect ending. “Breakfast?”

 

But he was sure he was getting the perfect beginning.

 


End file.
